Signal device



June 7, 1938- A E. RITTENHOUSE ET AL 2,120,153

SIGNAL 'DEVICE Filed Nov. 30, 1936 INVENTORS E'aarmwuse W mnzouse "flair-ATTORNEY.

50 Fig. 4..

PM... J... ,1, 1938 2,120,153

UNITED srATss PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL DEVICE Arthur E. ltlttenhouse and Lloyd Rittenhouse,

Honeoye Falls, N. Y., assignors to The A. E. Rlttenhouse 00., Inc., Honeoye Falls, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 1936, Serial No. 113,392

Claims. (or 171-1) This invention relates to a signal device, and eluding a curved front wall I, top wall 2, and has to do more particularly with that class of bottom wall! which are rigidly and permanently devices in which there is a chimev member or attached to the front wall against the flanges 4 vibratable element with which cooperates an of the latter.

5 electromagnetically operated striker which, when The top wall 2 is provided with a central open- 'the circuit is closed, moves to engage the viing 5 to emit the tones from the resonance chambratable element with a quick impact and strikes ber ailforded by the housing, as will appear presa single blow which sets the element in vibration. ently, while 6 designates the back wall of the The invention has for its object to aflford a housing which'is removably secured to the top practical construction that can be manufactured and bottom walls in the following manner. 10 at a relatively low cost and in which all the parts The top wall has a series of depending flanges are arranged within a housing, with the result 1 and the bottom wall has a series of upstanding that the vibratable element is protected to a deflanges 8 against which the rear wall 8 is regree against dust and dirt and is less likely to tained, and 9 designates lugs or extensions from lose a part of its eilectiveness. the top and bottom walls which are bent over the 16 A further purpose of the invention is to afford rear wall 8 to hold it in place against vertical a construction permitting a more compact ardisplacement, while endwise movement of the rangement of the parts than heretofore, while at rear wall is prevented by the flanges Ill on the the same time giving a deeper and more musical front wall I, the flanges l0 being bent around the 20 tone when the signal is operated. ends of the rear wall has shown in Fig. 2. In 30 Another object of the invention is to provide this fashion, the rear wall 6 can be quickly asa construction that enables the use of a housing sembled, and can also be readily removed from of minimum size in which all the parts are conthe rest of the housing if necessary to gain access tained, while giving a maximum tone effect when thereto. Lugs ll extend upwardly from the top the signal is operated. wall 2 and have openings l2 therein to permit Still an additional purpose of the invention is the housing to be attached to-a wall or other to provide an arrangement by which the strucsupport. ture can be readily manufactured and assembled The removable back wall 6 constitutes the supat a minimum cost, and'which also permits easy porting means for the vibratable element and the access and quick removal of the operating parts electromagnetic striker operating mechanism, as if necessary for adjustment or repair. will now be described, so that the operating parts,

To these and other ends, the invention consists assembled on the back wall 8, can be secured in in the combination and arrangement of parts operative relation within the housing in a single that will appear from the following description operation, by afllxing the back wall to the houswhen read in conjunction with the accompanying ing in the manner already described. ll desigas draw t e novel ll being pointed out in hates the vibratable element. preferably in the the claims following the specification. form ofa resonant plate, which is located beneath In the drawing: the opening I in' the resonance chamber and in Fig. l is a front elevation of a signal device right angular relationship to the back wall I.

40 ncorp one embodiment the invention; The housing is of somewhat elongated form to 0 8- 2 18 a p View the Same; accommodate a relatively long vibratable ele- Fis- 3 is a longitudinal Ve sectional View. ment, and in order to obtain maximum vibration taken on lineH of Fig. I of the latter, the vibratable plate II is con,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view.taken immediately under the top walloi' the housing; meted with its rear edge huge? than m l ig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view from eds? and connected converging .taken centrally of the-electromagnet, and with wmchvcontorm n 1 guwatur-c 9. the upper portionoi' thelatterbroken-away, and the I 9 h l i .1 Fig. 0 is a detail sectional view on line of T O Y a b e te words a tonecorresponding to the average length of the w Referring more particularly to the drawing in P e. n of the m Ditch 88 8 e t ular which like reference numerals refer to the same Pl h v ns a leng h O0 D 8 t0 the parts throughout the several views, the strucage of the long and short edges of the plate heretu're includes a housing formed preferably of Tin disclosed. Thus the vibratable plategives asheet metal or other suitable material, and inlower pitch and deeper tone than a rectangular platewhich could be arranged in a housing of similar size.

The vibratable plate I3 is supported by arms I mounted on the back wall 6. Each of said supporting arms includes a 'vertlcal portion i'i that is spot-welded or otherwise attached to the back wall. The supporting arms also include horizontal portions I8 and J9, connected by vertical portions 20 extending through openings in the vibratable plate. The horizontal portions I8 overlie and underlie respectively the rear portion of the vibratable plate and the horizontal portions I9 underlie and overlie respectively the front portions of the vibratable plate, the latter resting upon the horizontal portion l8 of one supporting arm and the horizontal portion I9 of the other supporting arm and being held against excessive vertical movement or tilting by the overlying horizontal portions of the arms.

The supporting arms are encased in tubular members 2| of rubber or other suitable material to contact with the vibratable plate, as usualin this class of construction, and in order that maximum vibration-of the element may be had, the supporting arms extend across the vibratable plate in the angular relation shown in Fig. 4,

converging along lines that form an intermediate angle between the angles of the ends of the vibratable plate and a line directly across the vibratable, plate at right angles to its side edges. By this arrangement of the supporting arms at slight angles to the ends of the vibratable plate, a maximum vibration and consequent more effective tone effect is obtained.

The vibratable plate I3 is located somewhat beneath the opening 5, and arranged beneath the vibratable plate I3 and also supported on the back wall 6 is the electromagnetic striker operating mechanism consisting of an electromagnet of conventional form, as designated at 22, the

' latter being supported between brackets 23 which are spot-welded or otherwise permanently attached to the back wall 6. 24 designates the armature of the electromagnet which also conr stitutes the striker, and'when moved upwardly the circuit is broken, its downward movement being limited by any suitable instrumentality such as a tape 25 held suitably to the end of the armature housing by a band 26.

21 designates conductors leading from the electromagnet to suitable binding posts 28, from which connections are made to the controlling circuit. When the latter is closed by pushing a button or operating a suitable switch, the armature 24 is moved upwardly and strikes the vibratable plate I3 with a quick impact, immediately falling away therefrom due to the action of the magnet and gravity, and returning entirely to its inoperative position when the circuit is broken. This sets in vibration the plate or vibratable element I3, the tones being emitted through the opening 5.

By locating the vibratable element within the housing, the electromagnet can be arranged closely to the vibratable element so that only 9.

- relatively short stroke of the striker or armature is required, lending tea more compact arrangement than in devices heretofore produced for this same purpose, and the mounting of the vibratable plate and electromagnet upon a removable wall of the housing affords a most economical and practical construction, permitting ready as sembly and quick accessibility for servicing when necessary.

While the invention has been described with relation to a particular embodiment, it is not confined to the details herein shown, and this application is intended to cover any changes or departures coming within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A signal device comprising a housing affording a resonance chamber having an opening in its top wall, a vibratable plate located within the housing beneath said opening, a plurality of supporting arms for said plate, each of said arms including horizontal portions overlying and underlying the plate and central vertical portions extending through opening in the plate, the underlying portion of one of said arms engaging the inner portion of the plate and the underlying portion of the other of said arms engaging the outer portion of the plate, and electromagnetic striker operating means located within the housing beneath said vibratable plate.

2. A signal device comprising a housing aifording a resonance chamber having an opening in its top wall, a vibratable plate located beneath said opening at right angles to the rear wall of the housing, said plate being longer at its rear edge than at its front edge, said housing having a curved front wall conforming generally to the front edge of said plate, supporting arms for said plate attached to said rear wall and including horizontal portions overlying and underlying the plate and central vertical portions extending through openings in the plate, said arms extending across the plate in converging relationship and at slight angles to the ends oi the plate, and electromagnetic striker operating means located within the housing beneath said plate.

3. A signal device comprising a housing including top, bottom, and front walls permanently secured together and a removable back wall affording a resonance chamber, the top wall having an opening therein, a vibratable element arranged beneath said opening, supporting means for said vibratable element secured to said removable back wall, and electromagnetic striker operating means arranged beneath said vibratable element and secured to said back wall.

4. A signal device comprising a housing, 9. vibratable plate, and a plurality of supporting arms for said plate, each of said arms including horizontal portions overlying and underlying the plate and a central vertical portion extending through an opening in the plate.

5. A signal device comprising a housing comprising top, bottom, and front walls permanently secured together, and a removable back wall affording a resonance chamber, the top wall having an opening therein, a vibratable element arranged beneath said opening, supporting means for said vibratable element, and electromagnetic striker operating means arranged beneath said vibratable element and secured to said back wall.

ARTHUR E. RI'I'I'ENHOUSE. LLOYD RI'I'I'ENHOUSE. 

